Bible Commentaries

2 Kings 11:1. When Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, &c.— The consideration of the fate which attended these royal families, is sufficient to make one thankful to God for having been born of meaner parentage. The whole offspring of Jeroboam, Baasha, and Ahab, kings of Israel, were cut off for their idolatry; and the kings of Judah having contracted an affinity with the house of Ahab, and being by them seduced into the same crime, were so destroyed by three successive massacres, that there was but one left: for, first Jehoram slew all his brethren, then Jehu slew all his brother's children, and now Athaliah destroys all the rest whom her executioners can meet with. Enraged to see Ahab's family cut off, she resolved to revenge it on the house of David. As she was one of Ahab's family, she had reason to apprehend that Jehu, who had a commission to extirpate all, would not be long before he called upon her; her only way therefore to secure herself against him was, to usurp the throne; but this she knew she could not do without destroying all the royal progeny, who were no well-wishers to the worship of Baal, which she had abetted, and was resolved to maintain.

2 Kings 11:5. A third part of you that enter, &c.— The captains, and other officers who were admitted to the knowledge of Jehoiada's design, came into the temple unarmed, that they might give no suspicion: but as David had erected a kind of sacred armoury in one of the apartments of the temple, wherein were deposited the weapons and other trophies which he and several other generals had gained from their enemies; Jehoiada took care upon the present occasion to have this magazine of military provisions opened, so that there was no want of any sort of arms. See 2 Kings 11:10 and Joseph. Antiq. lib. 9: cap. 7.

2 Kings 11:6. Keep the watch of the house, that it be not broken down— In the Hebrew מסח הבית habbaiith massach, which the Vulgate and LXX render the house Messah, supposing the original to be a proper name. Houbigant renders it, the court of casting away; supposing it to mean that part of the temple where the filth and dirt were carried out and thrown away.

2 Kings 11:12. Gave him the testimony— Both here and in the parallel place, 2 Chronicles 23:11 there is nothing for gave him; and therefore as the word put refers to to testimony as well as crown, it is very doubtful what is the meaning of the word in this place; but as the word certainly denotes additional or adventitious embellishments or ornaments, we may very well understand it here some royal robe or ornament, wherewith it was usual to invest kings on their coronation. See Exodus 33:4. 2 Samuel 1:24 and Parkhurst's Lexicon on the word עדה 6:

2 Kings 11:14. Behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was— It is generally supposed, that the royal throne was erected near one of those pillars, whereof we have an account 1 Kings 15:21 unless we may suppose that עמוד ammud, that what is here called a pillar, was that brazen scaffold five cubits long, &c. which Solomon made at first upon his dedicating the temple, and which was afterwards continued for the king to appear upon on solemn occasions, and where, doubtless, there was a throne of state. See Calmet.

2 Kings 11:16. And they laid hands on her— Then they gave her room, or, They left her a free passage to depart out of the temple; so Houbigant, after the Chaldee.

2 Kings 11:17. And Jehoiada made a covenant, &c.— "This could be no other than of protection and justice on his part, and of obedience on theirs; however, it makes it evident that kings may covenant with their people, contrary to Mr. Hobbes's doctrine."